A study found that high levels of caffeine in the blood may help reduce the risk of dementia by inhibiting tau protein aggregation. (Photo = DB)
[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] High levels of caffeine in the blood have been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia by inhibiting tau protein aggregation.
A study published in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal ‘Agricultural and Food Chemistry’ found that high levels of caffeine in the blood can help reduce the risk of dementia by inhibiting tau protein aggregation.
Tau protein plays a role in stabilizing the internal skeleton of brain stem cells, but when tau protein aggregates with other proteins to form a ‘tau tangle’, it breaks down the internal skeleton and causes damage to brain cells, memory and thinking ability. It can lead to various types of dementia accompanied by deterioration.
The research team extracted espresso shots with coffee beans, analyzed their chemical composition, and incubated the extract next to tau protein for at least 40 hours to select several molecules, including caffeine.
As a result of the study, the researchers said that the higher the caffeine concentration, the less the tau fiber increased and did not cause toxicity to the cells. Through this in-vitro experiment, they confirmed that coffee extract inhibited tau protein aggregation, and expected to use this to prevent neurological diseases that cause memory loss and convulsions.
On the other hand, experts mentioned that there was also a research result that, contrary to this study, drinking coffee increased the risk of dementia, and said that the causality between coffee consumption and dementia is currently unclear.
Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi ([email protected])
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2023-07-31 03:29:19
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